The invention relates generally to a liquid dispensing device, and more particularly to a device for dispensing a controlled amount of liquid cleaner into a steam outlet of a steam cleaner.
Steaming devices used to apply steam to household objects are well known. The uses of the devices vary widely, and may include the application of steam to drapes or other fabrics to ease wrinkles, and the application of steam to objects to assist in cleaning the objects.
Typical steam devices have a reservoir for storing water with a heating element to heat the water. The heated water generates steam, which may be directed towards its intended destination through a nozzle which controls the application of the steam. Variation of the shape and size of the nozzle allows for preferred distribution of generated steam to an object to be cleaned. The nozzles may be disconnectable from the steam generator to allow different nozzles to be utilized, based on the object to be steamed. The nozzle may be either closely coupled to the steam generator, or located at a distance from the steam generator, requiring tubing or other steam transfer structures to be interconnected between the steam generator and the discharge nozzle. Typically, it is beneficial to provide suitable connectors between the steam generator and the nozzle to allow either the nozzle to be connected to the steam generator, or to allow the interpositioning of transfer tubes or hoses between the steam generator and the nozzle.
The use of steam alone sometimes is not sufficient to clean an object or surface where the dirt and/or stain to be removed is particularly resistant to cleaning i.e. blood, wine, grass, tea, coffee and the like. In these cases, a cleaning agent in addition to steam may help facilitate in the removal of the dirt and/or stain. Further, an unregulated amount of cleaning agent and steam decreases the efficiency of the removal of the dirt and/or stain. This is because some dirt and/or stains need to be pretreated with the cleaning agent before applying the steam for the dirt and/or stain removal or vice versa. In addition, other dirt and/or stains may need just steam to remove or dislodge the dirt and/or stain. The unregulated release of steam generated by a steam generator reduces the efficiency with which the device may be operated. Such inefficiency arises from the generation of excess steam when the steam is not being applied to an object to be steamed. These inefficiencies increase the operating cost of the device, and decreases the utility of the device.
The use of a cleaning agent and mixing it with steam to bring the mixture into contact with the dirt and/or stain to be removed is known in the art. However, such devices do not allow the user the option of applying the steam first to the object to be cleaned and then immediately applying a controlled amount of cleaning agent to the object to be cleaned. Further, the ratio of cleaning agent to steam needed for the removal of dirt and/or stain is not tailored by the user.
A combined steam and vacuum cleaner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,459. Here, a steam hose and a detergent hose deposit steam and detergent on a surface to be cleaned adjacent to a vacuum hose. In this device, a water reservoir and a detergent reservoir are provided in a canister. Another variation of a combined steam and vacuum cleaner is shown in United States published application No. 2002/0112744. Here, a liquid cleaning agent is injected into a steam compartment that is then applied to the surface to be cleaned through a steam spray head. The steam and soap are then removed by a suction nozzle adjacent to the steam spray head. A steam cleaning apparatus providing for injection of a cleaning agent into a fluid conduit carrying a hot stream of water, steam and combustion gases to form a cleaning jet is shown in GB 1,449,483.
Notwithstanding the wide variety of steam generating appliances available, there exists the need to provide a self-contained liquid cleaning fluid dispenser device for use with a steam cleaner, particularly for a light-weight portable device suitable for household use. It is desirable to provide this device with the ability for a user to control the amount of steam so that a small amount of cleaning agent is injected into the steam without lowering the quality of the steam making the device suitable for cleaning household items.